Gas producer fuel support



Dec. 5, 1933. P, A. J. COUSIN GAS PRODUCER FUEL SUPPORT Filed Oct. 23, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 5, 1933. J cousm 1,938,517

GAS PRODUCER FUEL SUPPORT Filed Oct. 23, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 P. Coufln INVEN Bil Patented Dec. 5, 1933 UNITED STATES GAS PRODUCER FUEL Paul Achille Joseph Cousin,

France, assignor to SUPPORT Loos les Lille, Etablissements Ernest Arnoult, Socit Anonyme, Paris, France Application October 23, 1928, Serial No. 314,502, and in France November 4, 1927 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to a gas producer fuel support of the type comprising a revolving sole plate and a water-sealed ash pit; and it has for its object to design a fuel 5 support of this kind which is adapted for the mechanical cleaning of the gas producer while permitting the blasting of a current of dry air delivered through orifices submerged. in the water of the ash pit, in order to produce the necessary steam by means of the sensible heat of the ash or slag.

With this and other objects in view, my improved fuel support briefly consists of a base portion secured to the sole plate of the watersealed ash pit, and a convex cap or head mounted on the said base, which base and head are in such relation as to leave between them a space adapted to be filled by the water of the ash pit to a suitable level, said water being prevented from entering the base, air being blown through the said base axially of the gas producer.

Further characteristics of my invention will be specified in the following description, with reference to the appended drawing, which is given by way of example.

Fig. l is a vertical section of the lower part of a gas producer provided with a fuel support according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a corresponding plan view of the base and, cap, and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view, the cap and base unit being separated from each other The gas producer, whose lower portion A only is herein illustrated, comprises as usual a sole plate c forming an ash pan and fitted with a ball bearing a receiving for example spherical rollers b, said plate being provided at the periphery with a toothed ring 0' engaging a speed reduction gear d by which the ash pan is rotated. The sole plate has a circular wall 0:, thus forming a trough adapted to be filled with water. The water seal of the ash pit is obtained by means of a circular flange d, extending from the producer body and dipping in the water contained in the above mentioned trough. Plate 0 has a central opening e for the admission of air, which is supplied by any suitable means through a tube q, provided with a water seal 1' adapted to allow rotation of plate 0 and to secure a gas-tight joint.

In my improved construction, the grate consists of two parts, a base portion a, suitably secured to plate 0 and serving to prevent the water of the ash pit from entering the air inlet tube q and a cap b of substantiallytriangular horizontal cross section secured to the said base a. These two parts are adapted to cooperate with the bottom 0 of the ash pit, the lower flange d of the producer body, and the 50 wall e of the ash pit for the removal of the ash and slag.

The lower substantially horizontal underside or edge 2 of cap b extends below the level of the water contained in the ash pit, whilst the upper triangular flange f of base a extends above the maximum water level, whether the air blast apparatus is in operation or stopped. The water level in the ash pit is shown (Fig. 1) in the uppermost position in which the air blast is stopped. Cap b is formed on its inner Walls with three ribs g extending in the direction of the lines bisecting the'angles of the cap from each apex of the triangle tothe side opposite said apex, said ribs 9 fitting into corresponding recesses formed in the thickness of'flange f i of base a. The space between the periphery of cap I) and flange f forms an air passage 7' (Fig. l).

The upper surface of base a comprises curved surfaces h extending from an upper line k 1 (Figs. 1, 2, and 3) to a lower line m n (Figs. 2 and 3) the substantially helical shape It being more clearly shown in the perspective view (Fig. 3). Three such surfaces h are provided along 86 the periphery of base a and the line It I of each surface corresponds to a very sharp edge or offset, formed by a vertical face t adjacent k 1 (Fig. 3) extending down to the line m n of the next curved surface.

Each curved surface between the lines k 2 and m n is connected with the lower annular flange by which base a is secured to the sole plate 0 by means of a conical wall 11., the axis of the cone being offset with reference to the axis of .95 the gas producer, in the vertical plane passing through m n, and being also parallel with the axis of the gas producer; in this manner, the base of this conical wall is set back of the annular flange of the base a in the portion 12 the gas producer.

and b above described will provide between these elements an air passage 7' (Fig. 1) of the proper size to afford a sufficient delivery and the proper distribution of the air blast so as to draw with it the water of the ash pit and form a mixture of air and steam in constant proportions. The disposition of the elements a b will prevent the deposit of scale, formed in the air blast region, upon the walls h of the base a and upon the walls 2' of the cap I); it also prevents the partia] obstruction of the air inlet which would interfere with the uniform distribution of the steam and air mixture, and the uniform composition of the resulting producer gas, and would possibly produce local overheating with subsequent melting, distortion or wear of cap 1).

Due to the triangular horizontal cross section of the said cap, the air blast, for a given section of the air passage 7' (Fig. 2), can be distributed upon the whole sectional area of the ash pit, and the portion of the air which is discharged at the vertices of the triangle will more readily attain the outer portions of said section. This shape of the cap will also greatly assist in the breaking up of the cinders or slag during the cleaning step of the process: during the rotation of the grate, the central polyhedric portion b (Figs. 2 and 3) produces a wedging action upon the slag, and begins to break it up at the centre and to bring it around the triangular cap b. Further due to the reentrant outline of the lateral walls of the cap with respect to the angles the slag is prevented from sliding along these walls but is rotated and brought under the action of the angles of the cap which crush the slag against the walls of At the same time, the slag already crushed is raised by the helical surfaces h of the base a, thus producing an upward pressure upon the upper layers of slag which is being formed. The crushed slag then attain the upper part of the helical surfaces h (Fig. 3) and when at the end 7c Z of said surfaces, it will drop upon the succeeding inclined surfaces, being thus stirred up, which completes the crushing and breaking action of the triangular cap. Finally the conical walls bounding the inclined surfaces will drive the crushed slag against the wall d, whence it is removed by the scoop s.

The vertical faces t between each two successive surfaces It will act as powerful push pieces, if for any reason there should be any irregular action in the cleaning which would require the rotation of the grate in the reverse direction.

Obviously, the said invention is not limited to the details of construction herein described and represented, these being given solely by way of example.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A rotary fuel support for gas producers comprising a rotary bottom adapted to contain a water seal and provided with a central air inlet opening, a hollow base member secured to said bottom above said air inlet opening and provided with an upper air opening in the top of said base member, a series of successive substantially helical surfaces provided around said upper air opening on the upper part of said base member, a cap above said upper air openhaving a substantially triangular horizontal cross section and secured to said base member,

providing around said upper air opening for PAUL ACHILLE JOSEPH COUSIN. 

